Chapter 9. The Formula for Success

INFLUENCE=ATTENTIVENESS+FLEXIBILITY

In other words, the amount of influence you exercise is in direct proportion to how closely you pay attention and how flexible you are. Attentiveness is the ability to read another person, situation, and underlying clues. It is a human sonar system—a sensitivity to both verbal and nonverbal communication. In other words, to become a master practitioner of the fine art of listening and observing. Flexibility is the ability to shift to an appropriate behavior, depending on how attentive you are to the verbal and nonverbal clues the other person is giving you.